Integrated Anisian–Ladinian boundary chronology

We report magnetostratigraphic and biostratigraphic data from the Seceda core and the correlative outcrop section from the Dolomites of northern Italy. The Seceda rock succession consists of Tethyan marine limestones and radiometrically dated volcaniclastic layers of the Buchenstein Beds of Middle Triassic age (∼238–242 Ma). The Seceda outcrop section was correlated to coeval sections from the literature using magnetic polarity reversals and a selection of laterally traceable and isochronous lithostratigraphic marker beds. This allowed us to import the distribution of age-diagnostic conodonts, ammonoids, and daonellas from these sections into a Seceda reference stratigraphy for the construction of an integrated biochronology extending across a consistent portion of the Anisian–Ladinian boundary interval. Among the three options selected by the Subcommission for Triassic Stratigraphy to establish the Ladinian Global Stratigraphic Section and Point, we propose to adopt the level containing the base of the Curionii ammonoid Zone at Bagolino (Southern Alps, Italy) because this level is closely associated with a global means of correlation represented by the base of polarity submagnetozone SC2r.2r. The first occurrence of Neogondolella praehungarica in the Dolomites predates slightly the base of the Curionii Zone and can be used to approximate the Anisian–Ladinian boundary in the absence of ammonoids

Magnetobiostratigraphy of the Spathian to Anisian (Lower to Middle Triassic) Kçira section, Albania

Magnetobiostratigraphic data are presented from three Early/Middle Triassic Han-Bulog Limestone successions from Kçira, northern Albania. A total of 206 standard palaeomagnetic samples were obtained for thermal demagnetization and statisticalanalysis from the 42, 10 and 5m thick sections. The reversal-bearing characteristic component, carried by haematite and magnetite, defines a composite sequence of six main polarity intervals (Kçln to Kç3r) in which are embedded four short polarity intervals, one at the base of Kçln and three towards the top of Kçlr. The early acquisition of the characteristic remanence is supported by the lateral correlation of magnetozones between sections. The Early/Middle Triassic boundary, approximated by the first occurrence of the conodont Chiosella timorensis, falls close to the Kçlr/Kç2n polarity transition. This is in good agreement with recently published magnetobiostratigraphic data from the coeval Chios (Greece) sections. The palaeomagnetic pole calculated from the Kçira characteristic directions lies close to the Triassic portion of the apparent polar wander path for Laurussia (in European coordinates). However, a 40-45" clockwise rotation of the external zone of the Albano-Hellenic Belt to the south of the Scutari-Pec Line is thought to have occurred since the Early-Middle Miocene. The Kçira pole acquires a West Gondwana affinity when restored for the Neogene clockwise rotation. If the clockwise rotation was entirely related to Neogene tectonics, the Kçira area was evidently associated with West Gondwana and located at 12-16"N of the western Tethys margin

Towards a better definition of the Middle Triassic magnetostratigraphy and biostratigraphy in the Tethyan realm

Magnetostratigraphic and biostratigraphic data for the Middle Triassic (Anisian) were obtained from the Han-Bulog facies in the Nderlysaj section from the Albanian Alps and the Dont and Bivera formations in the Dont–Monte Rite composite section from the Dolomites region of northern Italy. The Nderlysaj section is biochronologically bracketed between the late Bithynian and early Illyrian substages (i.e., late-early and early-late Anisian), whereas the Dont–Monte Rite section comprises the late Pelsonian and the early Illyrian substages. The data from Nderlysaj and Dont–Monte Rite, in conjunction with already published data, allow us to construct a nearly complete composite geomagnetic polarity sequence tied to Tethyan ammonoid and conodont biostratigraphy from the late Olenekian (late-Early Triassic) to the late Ladinian (late-Middle Triassic). New conodont data require revision of the published age of the Vlichos section (Greece)

Magnetostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the Carnian/Norian boundary interval from the Pizzo Mondello section (Sicani Mountains, Sicily)

The 146.5 m-thick Upper Triassic limestone section at Pizzo Mondello in the Sicani Mountains of western Sicily is characterized by high quality of exposure, accessibility, and stratigraphic continuity. Magnetostratigraphic results delineate 12 normal and reverse polarity magnetozones, labelled successively from the base upwards as PM1n, PM1r, PM6n, PM6r. The Carnian/Norian boundary, based on conodont biostratigraphy, falls somewhere in the PM3n to PM5n interval which corresponds to the E14n to E16n magnetozone interval in the Newark reference sequence of polarity reversals. Comparison of magnetobiostratigraphic data from the Newark basin, Pizzo Mondello and other Late Triassic marine sections available from the literature suggests the existence of a reduction in sedimentation rate in the Tethyan marine domain at around the Carnian/Norian boundary. Although the Newark and the expanded Pizzo Mondello sections correlate well with each other, correlation with the condensed Kavur Tepe and Scheiblkogel sections is unsatisfactory. A re-interpretation of the Kavur Tepe results suggests that the section is younger than its previous correlation with the Newark section, and that it was deposited in the northern instead of the southern hemisphere. Most of the condensed Tethyan marine sections are seen to be highly discontinuous, as evidenced by concantenated conodont total range zones

Differentiating mania/hypomania from happiness using a machine learning analytic approach.

Background: This study aimed to improve the accuracy of bipolar disorder diagnoses by identifying symptoms that help to distinguish mania/hypomania in bipolar disorders from general ‘happiness’ in those with unipolar depression. Methods: An international sample of 165 bipolar and 29 unipolar depression patients (as diagnosed by their clinician) were recruited. All participants were required to rate a set of 96 symptoms with regards to whether they typified their experiences of manic/hypomanic states (for bipolar patients) or when they were ‘happy’ (unipolar patients). A machine learning paradigm (prediction rule ensembles; PREs) was used to derive rule ensembles that identified which of the 94 non-psychotic symptoms and their combinations best predicted clinically-allocated diagnoses. Results: The PREs were highly accurate at predicting clinician bipolar and unipolar diagnoses (92% and 91% respectively). A total of 20 items were identified from the analyses, which were all highly discriminating across the two conditions. When compared to a classificatory approach insensitive to the weightings of the items, the ensembles were of comparable accuracy in their discriminatory capacity despite the unbalanced sample. This illustrates the potential for PREs to supersede traditional classificatory approaches. Limitations: There were considerably less unipolar than bipolar patients in the sample, which limited the overall accuracy of the PREs. Conclusions: The consideration of symptoms outlined in this study should assist clinicians in distinguishing between bipolar and unipolar disorders. Future research will seek to further refine and validate these symptoms in a larger and more balanced sample

Fractal square zone plates

[EN] In this paper we present a novel family of zone plates with a fractal distribution of square zones. The focusing properties of these fractal diffractive lenses coined fractal square zone plates are analytically studied and the influence of the fractality is investigated. It is shown that under monochromatic illumination a fractal square zone plate gives rise a focal volume containing a delimited sequence of two-arms-cross pattern that are axially distributed according to the self-similarity of the lens.We acknowledge the financial support from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (grants FIS2011-23175 and TRA2009-0215), Generalitat Valenciana (grant PROMETEO2009-077), and Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (grant PAID-05-11), Spain.Calatayud Calatayud, A.; Ferrando Martín, V.; Gimenez Palomares, F.; Furlan, WD.; Saavedra, G.; Monsoriu Serra, JA. (2013). Fractal square zone plates. Optics Communications. 286:42-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optcom.2012.09.002S424528

Grazing Behaviour of Lambs in Different Production Systems

Ingestive behaviour is an important component of a grazing system (Fryxell et al., 2001). The understanding of lamb behaviour patterns in different production systems is crucial to management and to assess the impact of the production system on the use of resources by animals. The objective of this study was to determine the grazing behaviour of lambs in different production systems